Pages

Thursday, July 11, 2013

BLOG 49. Compass or GPS?

BLOG 49. COMPASS OR
GPS?

by Cliff Jacobson

Compass or GPS?

At the outset I should make it clear that I love my
GPS. I bring it on every canoe
trip. This said, I ALWAYS carry a compass—two of them, in fact. Both are Orienteering models; one (a
Suunto MC-2) has a declination device and a balanced needle that remains level
anywhere in the world; the other is a basic Boy Scout style model. The Suunto
is on a lanyard in my pocket; the backup compass is in a pack.

People are buying GPS’s like mad these days, but precious
few know how to use them. Some are so hooked on GPS technology that they leave
paper maps at home and rely entirely on the little chip-map in the GPS—a
dangerous mistake. After all, batteries can die, electronics can go bad;
screens can break etc. And contrary to the claims of manufacturers, a
“waterproof” GPS will take on water if it’s submerged for very long. Equally important is that a GPS screen
is too small to permit wide-ranging detail. Of course, you can pan around to see more area, but you
won’t see the “big picture”, which is useful for planning the days ahead. Enlarging the map scale reduces the
viewing area; making it smaller limits detail. That’s why you need a topographic map that shows the entire
route!

A knowledge of map and compass navigation is a must before
you commit to GPS. Why? Because
it’s easy to make an error when programming GPS waypoints, especially in UTM
(Universal Trans Mercator) mode. Unless your GPS has a detailed built-in topo
map (the free North American base map provided with the instrument isn’t good
enough), with detail equal to a topographic map, you’ll need to hand plot
waypoint coordinates, and it’s much easier and more accurate to do this in UTM mode than in latitude/longitude. (I’ll
detail the UTM system in a future blog, or see my books, “Basic Illustrated Map
& Compass” or “Expedition Canoeing”).
Without a working knowledge of map and compass, you’re almost certain to
get lost if you make a waypoint plotting error.

Most people who own field model GPS’s have only a
rudimentary knowledge of navigation. They know the eight principal compass
directions, and that “north” is at the top of a map, but little else. Declination is a mystery, as are the
“three north’s” (true, grid, magnetic). Some think that topographic map
gridlines point true north and south, which they seldom do.

Cliff checks his position with a GPS--along the Snake River, Yukon

My friend, Larry Rice, an author and frequent contributor to
canoeing magazines, told me he once went on a wilderness canoe trip in northern
Canada which was “guided” by a man who supposedly was very experienced. The man sent the crew an email stating
that to reduce weight and bulk everyone should leave their topo maps and GPS at
home. He said that his GPS
contained a detailed map of their entire route, and that’s all they would need.

My friend rolled his eyes at this announcement and of
course, brought his own map, compass and GPS. He said that each day the crew would rally around his topo
map to discuss the big picture. The leader’s GPS chip-map was simply too small
to show an over-view. Ironically, the “leader” could not always accurately
pin-point the crew’s location on Larry’s paper map. I hazard to think what
might have happened if Larry had taken the email to heart and the leader had
lost or damaged his GPS.

Much as I love my GPS, I find that it’s not all that useful
on the small lakes that characterize much of the BWCA. For this, a map and compass gets me
around just fine.

I would encourage all to become proficient with map and
compass before they commit to a GPS. That way, programming errors will quickly
be identified. I might add that detailed GPS maps are not available for many
remote areas. But paper topo maps
cover them all. Overhanging
vegetation, canyon walls or heavy cloud cover can prevent an accurate GPS
fix. And on rare occasions (as in
911!) the system is shut down. Unless you drop your compass off a cliff or run
over it with a truck, it will always work! And the information on a topo map
can never be corrupted.

Technology is wonderful but it cannot replace skills or
common sense. Bad stuff happens when one least expects it. That’s why I always bring two
orienteering style compasses, two sets of maps and a GPS on all my northern
canoe adventures.

2 comments:

Good article. Did the Snake with 5 others in '89. Great trip. This pic looks like it's right before the little canyon section. Lot's of grizzlies, Dall sheep and ptarmigan. Put in at Duo Lakes. Wolves howling that night. The Dempster was gorgeous. Heading for the BWCA in another week. Love your books. Oh yeah, did the Mara/Burnside,NWT in '87. Fantastic. You should do it if not already.

The purpose of this blog is to share knowledge that will enhance your next camping experience, specifically in the BWCA. It will be a place to share trip stories and pictures, routing information, the most current USFS information, camping tips, BWCA conditions, gear reviews, and book reviews to name a few.

Our goal is not only to share our knowledge with you, but we are looking for your input as well.We want to hear your stories, what pieces of gear you like to take on your trips, your favorite campsites—we want to build a paddling community where we can learn from each other.So, follow along, give us your input, and tell your friends.Help us share this wonderful place!